The crown jewel!
Village chiefs (nkumu) among the Ekonda
and neighboring groups wear a tiered hat (botolo) as an insignia
of office and an association with the powers of the ancestors,
important ritual functions, and divination. The botolo is a coiled
basketry hat composed of several horizontal brims that increase
in size from top to bottom. The hat, made of raffia fibers & often
colored with camwood powder mixed with oil, is adorned with
brass or copper disks. Copper, brass, and iron were used as currency
in the Belgian Congo in the 19th to early 20th centuries. The presence
of metal disks on botolo signifies wealth & prestige. A chief who is the
first in his line must buy the botolo; if he is descended from a chief, he
inherits his predecessor's "crown."
Height: 7 ¼" - Diameter: 5 ⅛" - Custom metal base is 3 ⅝" x 2"
Ex Jaques Hautelet collection.
